1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to ballast devices for truck beds and, more particularly, to ballast devices especially adapted for use in beds of pickup trucks.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Trucks generally have rear wheel drive, and when truck beds are empty, the weight over the rear wheels may be insufficient to provide adequate traction for the rear wheels. Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to providing extra weight or ballast for truck beds, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,888,507; 4,190,281; 4,482,169; 4,796,914; and 5,080,418. More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,507 discloses a vehicle ballast weight assembly that employs a large, solid, prismic-like weight to provide ballast. By its very nature, the prismic-like weight is heavy and difficult to load and unload from the vehicle. In this respect, it would be desirable if a truck bed ballast apparatus were provided which does not employ a large, solid ballast weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,281 discloses a ballast device for a pickup truck. The device employs a container that is loaded with sand. The device is partially supported by the pickup truck bed and partially supported by the sidewall-associated structures adjacent to the pickup truck bed. The placement of this device in the pickup truck bed avoids the vicinity of the fender wells, and, at the same time, consumes some truck bed surface. To preserve the cargo carrying characteristics of the truck bed, it would be desirable if a ballast device for a pickup truck bed occupied a minimum amount of truck bed surface.
U.S. Pat. No.4,482,169 discloses a ballast device for a pickup truck bed which utilizes a plurality of slidable lead weights. The weights are installed between fender wells and take up a consider amount of truck bed space. To avoid wasting the truck bed space between fender wells, it would be desirable if a ballast device did not occupy space on the truck bed between fender wells.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,796,914 and 5,080,418 each discloses a truck bed liner that includes a ballast chamber that is filled with a ballast liquid such as water. One disadvantage of each of these devices is that the entire contents of the truck bed must be emptied before the device is installed in the pickup truck bed. Another disadvantage of these devices is that each device must have very high structural strength to support the weight of loads placed in the truck bed. To have such very high strength, such ballast devices may be very heavy and expensive. Still another disadvantage of these devices is related to the fact that liquid water is used as the ballast. Therefore, the devices must remain water-tight to be useful. In these respects, it would be desirable if a ballast device for a truck bed does not require the entire contents of the track bed to be emptied before the device is installed. It would also be desirable if a truck bed ballast device did not support the weight of loads placed in the truck bed. It would also be desirable if a truck bed ballast device did not have to be water tight.
Still other features would be desirable in a truck bed ballast apparatus. For example, the fender wells of a pickup truck bed are regions in the truck bed in which bed floor space is essentially occupied and not available for load carrying. It is noted, that in a typical pickup truck bed, there is usually some empty space above the fender wells and adjacent to the side walls of the truck bed. Yet, because such empty space is not supported by the truck bed, such empty space is often under utilized or completely unused. Such empty space would be an ideal location for ballast for the truck bed. In this respect, it would be desirable to use empty space above the fender wells and adjacent to the side walls of a pickup truck bed to hold ballast for the pickup truck bed.
If one ballast device is installed above one fender well and another ballast device is installed above another fender well, it would be desirable for a lateral brace to be provided that extends between the two ballast devices.
Under certain circumstances, it may be desirable to install ballast devices directly on the pickup truck bed. Although this may take up a specific amount of truck bed space, such an installation would lower the center of gravity of the truck and provide greater stability for vehicle turns. Portions of the truck bed which are especially amenable for receiving ballast devices are adjacent to the fender wells and adjacent to the side walls of the truck bed both forward of and rearward of the fender wells. Moreover, when such ballast devices are installed both forward of and rearward of a fender well, it would be desirable for a bracing device to extend over the respective fender well between the adjacent ballast devices.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use ballast devices in truck beds, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a truck bed ballast apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) does not employ a large, solid ballast weight; (2) provides a ballast device for a pickup truck bed that occupies a minimum amount of truck bed surface; (3) does not require the entire contents of the truck bed to be emptied before the ballast device is installed; (4) does not support the weight of loads placed in the track bed; (5) does not have to be water tight; (6) does not occupy space on the truck bed between fender wells; (7) uses empty space above the fender wells and adjacent to the side walls of a pickup truck bed to hold ballast for the pickup truck bed; (8) provides a lateral brace between two ballast devices when one ballast device is installed above one fender well and another ballast device is installed above another fender well; (9)provides ballast devices adjacent to the fender wells and adjacent to the side walls of the truck bed both forward of and rearward of the fender wells; and (10) provides a bracing device to extend over a respective fender well between the adjacent ballast devices installed forward of and rearward of the fender well. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique truck bed ballast apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.